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Shiva Tandava Stotram

The Shiva Tandava Stotram - the powerful, rhythmic hymn composed by Ravana describing the cosmic dance (tandava) and glory of Lord Shiva.

जटाटवीगलज्जलप्रवाहपावितस्थले
गलेऽवलम्ब्य लम्बितां भुजङ्गतुङ्गमालिकाम्।
डमड्डमड्डमड्डमन्निनादवड्डमर्वयं
चकार चण्डताण्डवं तनोतु नः शिवः शिवम्॥१॥

जटाकटाहसम्भ्रमभ्रमन्निलिम्पनिर्झरी
विलोलवीचिवल्लरीविराजमानमूर्धनि।
धगद्धगद्धगज्ज्वलल्ललाटपट्टपावके
किशोरचन्द्रशेखरे रतिः प्रतिक्षणं मम॥२॥

धराधरेन्द्रनन्दिनीविलासबन्धुबन्धुर
स्फुरद्दिगन्तसन्ततिप्रमोदमानमानसे।
कृपाकटाक्षधोरणीनिरुद्धदुर्धरापदि
क्वचिद्दिगम्बरे मनो विनोदमेतु वस्तुनि॥३॥

जटाभुजङ्गपिङ्गलस्फुरत्फणामणिप्रभा
कदम्बकुङ्कुमद्रवप्रलिप्तदिग्वधूमुखे।
मदान्धसिन्धुरस्फुरत्त्वगुत्तरीयमेदुरे
मनो विनोदमद्भुतं बिभर्तु भूतभर्तरि॥४॥

सहस्रलोचनप्रभृत्यशेषलेखशेखर
प्रसूनधूलिधोरणी विधूसराङ्घ्रिपीठभूः।
भुजङ्गराजमालया निबद्धजाटजूटक
श्रियै चिराय जायतां चकोरबन्धुशेखरः॥५॥

ललाटचत्वरज्वलद्धनञ्जयस्फुलिङ्गभा
निपीतपञ्चसायकं नमन्निलिम्पनायकम्।
सुधामयूखलेखया विराजमानशेखरं
महाकपालिसम्पदेशिरोजटालमस्तु नः॥६॥

करालभालपट्टिकाधगद्धगद्धगज्ज्वल
द्धनञ्जयाहुतीकृतप्रचण्डपञ्चसायके।
धराधरेन्द्रनन्दिनीकुचाग्रचित्रपत्रक
प्रकल्पनैकशिल्पिनि त्रिलोचने रतिर्मम॥७॥

नवीनमेघमण्डली निरुद्धदुर्धरस्फुरत्
कुहूनिशीथिनीतमः प्रबन्धबद्धकन्धरः।
निलिम्पनिर्झरीधरस्तनोतु कृत्तिसिन्धुरः
कलानिधानबन्धुरः श्रियं जगद्धुरन्धरः॥८॥

प्रफुल्लनीलपङ्कजप्रपञ्चकालिमप्रभा
वलम्बिकण्ठकन्दलीरुचिप्रबद्धकन्धरम्।
स्मरच्छिदं पुरच्छिदं भवच्छिदं मखच्छिदं
गजच्छिदान्धकच्छिदं तमन्तकच्छिदं भजे॥९॥

अखर्वसर्वमङ्गलाकलाकदम्बमञ्जरी
रसप्रवाहमाधुरी विजृम्भणामधुव्रतम्।
स्मरान्तकं पुरान्तकं भवान्तकं मखान्तकं
गजान्तकान्धकान्तकं तमन्तकान्तकं भजे॥१०॥

जयत्वदभ्रविभ्रमभ्रमद्भुजङ्गमश्वसद्
विनिर्गमत्क्रमस्फुरत्करालभालहव्यवाट्।
धिमिद्धिमिद्धिमिध्वनन्मृदङ्गतुङ्गमङ्गल
ध्वनिक्रमप्रवर्तित प्रचण्डताण्डवः शिवः॥११॥

दृषद्विचित्रतल्पयोर्भुजङ्गमौक्तिकस्रजोर्
गरिष्ठरत्नलोष्ठयोः सुहृद्विपक्षपक्षयोः।
तृणारविन्दचक्षुषोः प्रजामहीमहेन्द्रयोः
समप्रवृत्तिकः कदा सदाशिवं भजाम्यहम्॥१२॥

कदा निलिम्पनिर्झरीनिकुञ्जकोटरे वसन्
विमुक्तदुर्मतिः सदा शिरःस्थमञ्जलिं वहन्।
विलोललोचनो ललामभाललग्नकः शिवेति
मन्त्रमुच्चरन् कदा सुखी भवाम्यहम्॥१३॥

निलिम्पनाथनागरीकदम्बमौलमल्लिका
निगुम्फनिर्भरक्षरन्मधूष्णिकामनोहरः।
तनोतु नो मनोमुदं विनोदिनीं महर्निशं
परश्रियः परं पदं तदङ्गजत्विषां चयः॥१४॥

प्रचण्डवाडवानलप्रभाशुभप्रचारणी
महाष्टसिद्धिकामिनीजनावहूतजल्पना।
विमुक्तवामलोचनो विवाहकालिकध्वनिः
शिवेति मन्त्रभूषगो जगज्जयाय जायताम्॥१५॥

इमं हि नित्यमेवमुक्तमुत्तमोत्तमं स्तवं
पठन्स्मरन्ब्रुवन्नरो विशुद्धिमेति सन्ततम्।
हरे गुरौ सुभक्तिमाशु याति नान्यथा गतिं
विमोहनं हि देहिनां सुशङ्करस्य चिन्तनम्॥१६॥

पूजावसानसमये दशवक्त्रगीतं
यः शम्भुपूजनपरं पठति प्रदोषे।
तस्य स्थिरां रथगजेन्द्रतुरङ्गयुक्तां
लक्ष्मीं सदैव सुमुखीं प्रददाति शम्भुः॥१७॥

॥ इति श्रीरावणकृतं शिवताण्डवस्तोत्रं सम्पूर्णम् ॥

jatatavigalajjalapravahapavitasthale
gale'valambya lambitam bhujangatungamalikam।
damaddamaddamaddamanninadavaddamarvayam
chakara chandatandavam tanotu nah shivah shivam॥1॥

jatakatahasambhramabhramannilimpanirjhari
vilolavichivallarivirajamanamurdhani।
dhagaddhagaddhagajjvalallalatapattapavake
kishorachandrashekhare ratih pratikshanam mama॥2॥

dharadharendranandinivilasabandhubandhura
sphuraddigantasantatipramodamanamanase।
kripakatakshadhoraniniruddhadurdharapadi
kvachiddigambare mano vinodametu vastuni॥3॥

jatabhujangapingalasphuratphanamaniprabha
kadambakunkumadravapraliptadigvadhumukhe।
madandhasindhurasphurattvaguttariyamedure
mano vinodamadbhutam bibhartu bhutabhartari॥4॥

sahasralochanaprabhrityashesalekhashekhara
prasunadhulidhorani vidhusaranghripithabhuh।
bhujangarajamalaya nibaddhajatajutaka
shriyai chiraya jayatam chakorabandhushekharah॥5॥

lalatachatvarajvaladdhananjayasphulingabha
nipitapanchasayakam namannilimpanayakam।
sudhamayukhalekhaya virajamanashekharam
mahakapalisampade shirojatalamastu nah॥6॥

karalabhalapattikadhagaddhagaddhagajjvala
ddhananjayahutikritaprachandapanchasayake।
dharadharendranandinikuchagrachitrapatraka
prakalpanaikashilpini trilochane ratirmama॥7॥

navinameghamandali niruddhadurdharasphurat
kuhunishithinitamah prabandhabaddhakandharah।
nilimpanirjharidharastanotu krittisindhurah
kalanidhanabandhurah shriyam jagaddhurandharah॥8॥

praphullanilapankajaprapanchakalimaprabha
valambikanthakandaliruchiprabaddhakandharam।
smarachchhidam purachchhidam bhavachchhidam makhachchhidam
gajachchhidandhakachchhidam tamantakachchhidam bhaje॥9॥

akharvasarvamangalakalakadambamanjari
rasapravahamadhuri vijrimbhanamadhuvratam।
smarantakam purantakam bhavantakam makhantakam
gajantakandhakantakam tamantakantakam bhaje॥10॥

jayatvadabhravibhramabhramadbhujangamashvasad
vinirgamatkramasphuratkaralabhalahavyavat।
dhimiddhimiddhimidhvananmridangatungamangala
dhvanikramapravartita prachandatandavah shivah॥11॥

drishadvichitratalpayorbhujangamauktikasrajor
garishtharatnaloshthayoh suhridvipakshapakshayoh।
trinaravindachakshushoh prajamahimahendrayoh
samapravrittikah kada sadashivam bhajamyaham॥12॥

kada nilimpanirjharinikunjakotare vasan
vimuktadurmatih sada shirahsthamanjalim vahan।
vilolalochano lalamabhalalagnakah shiveti
mantramuchcharan kada sukhi bhavamyaham॥13॥

nilimpanathanagarikadambamaulamallika
nigumphanirbharaksharanmadhushnikamanoharah।
tanotu no manomudam vinodinim maharnisham
parashriyah param padam tadangajatvisham chayah॥14॥

prachandavadavanalaprabhashubhapracharani
mahashtasiddhikaminijanavahutajalpana।
vimuktavamalochano vivahakalikadhvanih
shiveti mantrabhushago jagajjayaya jayatam॥15॥

imam hi nityamevamuktamuttamottamam stavam
pathansmaranbruvannaro vishuddhimeti santatam।
hare gurau subhaktimashu yati nanyatha gatim
vimohanam hi dehinam sushankarasya chintanam॥16॥

pujavasanasamaye dashavaktragitam
yah shambhupujanaparam pathati pradoshe।
tasya sthiram rathagajendraturangayuktam
lakshmim sadaiva sumukhim pradadati shambhuh॥17॥

|| iti shri Ravana-kritam Shiva Tandava Stotram sampurnam ||

Frequently asked questions about Shiva Tandava Stotram

Who composed the Shiva Tandava Stotram?

Ravana, in the tradition - the great Shiva devotee of the Ramayana, who is remembered as much for this hymn as for his defeat. It is his praise of the tandava, the cosmic dance, and the tradition keeps the paradox without apology.

Why does it sound like drumming?

Because it is written in panchachamara metre with dense alliteration - damad damad damad daman ninadavad damarvayam - so the syllables imitate the damaru itself. Reciting it aloud at speed is the point; read silently it loses half of what it is.

When is it recited?

On Mondays, at Pradosh, through Shravan and above all on Maha Shivaratri, where it is recited in the night watches. Many recite it during Rudrabhishek while the water is poured.

Is it difficult to recite?

It is the hardest of the popular Shiva hymns to get the tongue around. Learn it line by line from a recording, slowly first - the speed comes with familiarity, and nobody manages the full verse at pace on the first attempt.

What is it recited for?

Not for a particular boon. It is a hymn of sheer wonder - the closing verses say that whoever recites it at the twilight worship is freed of confusion and holds Shiva in mind. Devotees describe the effect as energising rather than pacifying. This page is the stotra; the forty-verse hymn is the Shiv Chalisa, and the lamp-song is Om Jai Shiv Omkara.

About the Shiva Tandava Stotram

The Shiva Tandava Stotram - the powerful, rhythmic hymn composed by Ravana describing the cosmic dance (tandava) and glory of Lord Shiva.

Meaning

Composed by Ravana, this stotram vividly praises Lord Shiva's matted locks, the Ganga and crescent moon upon them, the serpent garland and his fierce yet blissful tandava dance, exalting him as the destroyer of all impurity.

Benefits

Recited for strength, fearlessness and the removal of obstacles and enemies; its powerful rhythm is said to please Shiva quickly and grant courage, victory and spiritual energy.

The Shiva Tandava Stotram above is given in both Devanagari (Sanskrit) and Roman transliteration so you can read it in whichever script you are comfortable with - switch between the two using the buttons above, share the link, or download a PDF.

A stotram is a longer Sanskrit hymn of praise, not a forty-verse chalisa and not the lamp-song of an aarti. Browse every stotra on the Stotram index. For japa of a short formula use a mantra. The steps of worship around the recitation are in Puja Vidhi.